Effect of a smoking ban on respiratory health in nonsmoking hospitality workers: a prospective cohort study.

From the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Drs Rajkumar and Röösli), and University of Basel (Drs Rajkumar and Röösli); Clinic of Pulmonary Medicine and Respiratory Cell Research (Dr Stolz), University Hospital Basel; Department of Paediatric Pulmonology and Intensive Care Medicine (Dr Hammer), UKBB, Basel; Department of Respiratory Medicine (Dr Moeller), University Children's Hospital; Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (Dr Bauer), University of Zürich and Center for Organizational and Occupational Sciences, ETH Zurich; and Institute for Work and Health (Dr Huynh), Lausanne, Switzerland.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of a smoking ban on lung function, fractional exhaled nitric oxide, and respiratory symptoms in nonsmoking hospitality workers.

METHODS:

Secondhand smoke exposure at the workplace, spirometry, and fractional exhaled nitric oxide were measured in 92 nonsmoking hospitality workers before as well as twice after a smoking ban.

RESULTS:

At baseline, secondhand smoke-exposed hospitality workers had lung function values significantly below the population average. After the smoking ban, the covariate-adjusted odds ratio for cough was 0.59 (95% confidence interval, 0.36 to 0.93) and for chronic bronchitis 0.75 (95% confidence interval, 0.55 to 1.02) compared with the preban period.

CONCLUSIONS:

The below-average lung function before the smoking ban indicates chronic damages from long-term exposure. Respiratory symptoms such as cough decreased within 12 months after the ban.